The Origins of Specialty Coffee

Ever wondered where the term 'specialty coffee' comes from—and why it matters? The story isn’t about hip cafés or pour-over trends. It begins with a single word choice in 1974 that redefined how people thought about coffee quality. For decades, the U.S. market was flooded with low-flavor commercial blends. Then one woman changed the conversation entirely.

In 1974, Erna Knutsen used the term 'specialty coffee' for the first time in a Tea & Coffee Trade Journal interview to describe high-quality beans with outstanding flavor—setting them apart from mass-market commercial coffee focused only on marketing.

Who Was Erna Knutsen?

Erna Knutsen was not a career coffee professional from the start. Born in Norway, she emigrated to the United States as a child. She didn’t work in coffee until her 40s, beginning as an executive secretary at B.C. Ireland, a San Francisco-based coffee company. That’s where she first encountered the inner workings of the coffee import business.

The Commercial Coffee Problem

At the time, the U.S. was the world’s largest coffee consumer—but almost the entire market consisted of commercial coffee. These were blends, often including cheap Robusta beans, designed more for mass production and advertising than taste. Major companies like General Foods and Hills Bros. used Robusta in canned and instant coffee, pushed out through aggressive national marketing. The result? Americans grew tired of dull, bitter coffee with little origin identity or care in processing.

Knutsen’s Breakthrough

While working at B.C. Ireland, Knutsen noticed that although the company imported some high-grade Arabica beans, demand was tiny—usually not enough to fill a full container (around 250 bags or 15,000 kilograms). Most went unsold. She began selling these better-quality Arabicas to small local roasters who actually cared about flavor. These regional roasters had loyal followings and appreciated the difference. This grassroots success showed there was a real market for quality-focused coffee—even if the big players ignored it.

How 'Specialty Coffee' Was Coined

In a 1974 interview with Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, Knutsen explicitly used the term 'specialty coffee' to describe these high-flavor beans. Her wording drew a clear line: specialty coffee was defined by exceptional cup quality and distinct origin characteristics, not advertising budgets or mass distribution. The term caught on because it gave a name to what discerning roasters and drinkers already sensed—that coffee could be more than a commodity.

Knutsen’s Lasting Influence

Knutsen’s vision helped spark the specialty coffee movement. She rose to become CEO of her own firm and earned the Lifetime Contribution Award from the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), where she also served as a board member. In 1986, she founded Knutsen Coffee Ltd. in Sacramento, California—a company that became highly respected within the specialty coffee trade.

What Made Specialty Coffee Different?

Specialty coffee, as Knutsen defined it, referred to beans that were:

• of the highest quality (typically Arabica)
• grown in specific, identifiable origins
• processed and handled with care to preserve flavor
• roasted and brewed to highlight their unique traits

This stood in contrast to commercial coffee, which prioritized uniformity, low cost, and mass appeal over taste or traceability. Commercial blends often mixed beans from multiple origins and included lower-grade Robusta for cost savings and crema in instant products.

Why Did the Market Shift?

Though commercial coffee dominated in the 1970s, consumer fatigue with bland, over-roasted blends created an opening. Small roasters and importers who worked closely with farmers and focused on cup quality found an audience among coffee drinkers willing to pay more for a better experience. Knutsen’s term gave this movement its identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who first used the term 'specialty coffee'?

Erna Knutsen first used the term 'specialty coffee' in a 1974 interview with Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. She used it to describe high-quality, flavorful coffee beans distinct from commercial coffee.

What year was the term 'specialty coffee' coined?

The term 'specialty coffee' was coined in 1974 by Erna Knutsen in an interview published in the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

What is the difference between specialty coffee and commercial coffee?

Specialty coffee refers to high-quality beans with distinctive flavor profiles, carefully grown, processed, and roasted. Commercial coffee focuses on mass production, low cost, and marketing, often using lower-grade beans like Robusta and blends with little origin distinction.

How did Erna Knutsen influence the coffee industry?

Erna Knutsen helped define and promote the concept of specialty coffee, creating a market for high-quality beans. She later received the SCAA Lifetime Contribution Award, served on its board, and founded her own successful specialty coffee company.

Why did American coffee drinkers grow tired of commercial coffee in the 1970s?

Americans grew tired of commercial coffee due to its bland, bitter taste and lack of variety, as it often relied on cheap Robusta beans and heavy roasting to mask origin character.

Where did Knutsen work when she first encountered specialty-grade beans?

Knutsen first encountered specialty-grade Arabica beans while working as an executive secretary at B.C. Ireland, a San Francisco coffee importer, in the 1970s.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Specialty Coffee Exploration

Start your specialty coffee journey with FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera (Yirgacheffe), known for its vibrant citrus, floral, and berry notes, and the Sidamo-sourced Yirgacheffe coffee from the Gedeb co-op, offering bright acidity and fruity complexity. Both highlight the origin-driven qualities that specialty coffee celebrates. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.